Cardboard Basics

By Robin Matthysen  (Matthyro)

 

     

 

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first photo shows a side panel of cerealboard, a steel ruler, a couple of sharp knives, (the kind with breakaway blades are best) and a sharpened

pencil.  A good cutting board is a necessity.

  The third photo shows me bending the cerealboard with the grain.

 

The cerealboard is much stiffer this way and resists bending.  Why do we need to bother with the grain?

 

 Much depends on what we want to make.  I will try to show this as we move along.

There is an interesting fact about cerealboard in that it has a grain in it, something like the grain in wood.

 

The way to find the grain is to bend the cerealboard as I have done here in the second photo.

 

 In this case it shows the cross grain because it bends more easily in this direction.

We scratch builders use a variety of products and materials in our efforts to create something of interest for our model railroads. Here, I just want to tell you some things I have learned about using cardboard.

 

      The specific cardboard I am talking about here comes from recycled cereal boxes.  It has been given the name of cerealboard by Gauge members.